Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Dammam Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Dammam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,227 in Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,878 in Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,530 in Dammam.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 6% more expensive than in Dammam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Dammam 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$6.59 SAR 24.74

81.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$39.22 SAR 147

20.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$7.95 SAR 29.87

47.80%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$3.56 SAR 13.36

15.73%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.80 SAR 3.00

75.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.28 SAR 1.04

225.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.64 SAR 6.16

2.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.05 SAR 3.95

104.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$2.34 SAR 8.79

-24.36%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.46 SAR 9.23

14.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$6.75 SAR 25.33

36.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$7.30 SAR 27.41

26.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$13.01 SAR 48.85

-2.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$2.39 SAR 8.97

23.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.64 SAR 6.16

-3.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.64 SAR 6.16

35.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.58 SAR 5.92

49.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.23 SAR 4.63

61.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.39 SAR 5.21

42.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.30 SAR 4.87

-4.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.59 SAR 2.23

105.08%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.94 SAR 11.04

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.53

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$7.39 SAR 27.75

-37.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$1.08 SAR 4.06

-44.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$40.25 SAR 151

-26.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$2.68 SAR 10.08

95.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$1.92 SAR 7.21

90.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$13.44 SAR 50.5

-56.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$0.59 SAR 2.23

161.02%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$26.1K SAR 98.1K

-12.74%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$23.5K SAR 88.3K

9.75%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$90.7 MX$1,538

$106 SAR 397

-14.30%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$25.19 MX$427

$33.13 SAR 124

-23.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$70.4 SAR 264

-54.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$95.6 SAR 359

-28.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$36.61 SAR 138

-19.78%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$14.31 SAR 53.8

-66.04%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$226 MX$3,828

$349 SAR 1,310

-35.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$7,538 SAR 28.3K

-44.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$56.2 SAR 211

-15.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$64.5 SAR 242

-32.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$85.1 SAR 319

-5.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$82.0 SAR 308

11.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$438 SAR 1,646

147.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$384 SAR 1,441

6.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$884 SAR 3,321

122.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$633 SAR 2,379

102.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$1,731 SAR 6,502

133.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$1,102 SAR 4,139

508.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.42

159.05%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Dammam: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $438 in Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $39.00 in Dammam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $197 per month, with Dammam cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Playa del Carmen vs Dammam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dammam is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,958 in Playa del Carmen and $1,840 in Dammam to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $438 in Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,227 in Dammam – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dammam runs roughly 36% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,227 in Dammam versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dammam but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Dammam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dammam is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Dammam are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Dammam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.